Sardy Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aspen, Colorado 81611
Sunday, September 20, 1987 12:18 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY PLEASURE FLT THE ACFT ENGINE FAILED APX FOUR MILES SHORT OF THE DEST APRT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1218
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ASPEN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81611
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SARDY FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ASE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 340
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1220 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID ASE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7793
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1266
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34599
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6874U
NTSB Number DEN87LA242
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20K
Aircraft Series Identifier M20K
Aircraft Serial Number 2578
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 9 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 3921
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN F. SORT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7726 QUAY
Aircraft Owner City ARVADA
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80003
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WHEATRIDGE FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7073 S. ROBB STREET
Operator City LITTLETON
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80127
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SJC
Departure City BROOMFIELD
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ASE
Destination City ASPEN
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --